Theatre Director, PhD
Graduated from the Faculty of Drama Directing at the National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw. Since 1997 he has worked as an assistant director of Krystian Lupa and as a director of documentary films in Polish Television Theatre. As a theatre director, he debuted with his original production Suddenly (Studio Theatre in Warsaw) and in 2001 he staged his diploma production of Robert Anderson’s Solitaire (Contemporary Theatre in Warsaw). Since then he directed several dozen plays and co-operated with many theaters in Poland and abroad. He was awarded few times with the Golden Mask for Direction. He mainly directs plays concerned with contemporary topics or works with classics in contemporary aesthetics. A special place in his career is occupied by a period of laboratory work focused on working with dancers and research in combining dramatic language with contemporary dance theater. From 2015 he is the General and Artistic Director of JK Opole Theatre and Director of the Festival of Polish Classic Drama ‘Konfrontacje’ in Opole. In 2016 he created new space of unusual character called Modelatornia. His idea, was to create and consistently develop a place that would serve the implementation of postulates of Jerzy Grotowski – providing the basis for experimental explorations in the field of theatre. Norbert Rakowski invites artists to Opole who want to confront fundamental ideological problems on the stage and who are not afraid of creative dialogue with the audience through their original stage language.
From 2023, he is the Vice-President of European Theatre Convention (ETC) – the largest network of publicly-funded theaters in Europe, with 63 members in 31 countries
directed by nr:
I’m Nowhere / Desvanecimiento, authorial – JK Theatre / Opole / Teatros Del Canal / Madrid 2023
Four Good Reasons to Leave All of This Behind, authorial – JK Theatre / Opole 2023
The Play (Interview), Theo van Gogh – Garnizon of Art / Warsaw 2023
Father, Florian Zeller – Modern Theater / Szczecin 2022 / “Amber Ring” Best Performance
Top Secret Research. New Constructive Ethics, Iwan Wyrypayev – JK Theatre / Opole 2021
Camera Buff 2020, M.Sobieszczanska, N.Rakowski – Silesia Theatre / Opole / Katowice 2021
Amadeus, Peter Shaffer – City Theater / Gliwice 2021
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley – Silesia Theatre / Katowice 2018 / Golden Mask – Best Director
Drunk, Ivan Wyrypayev – Modern Theater / Szczecin 2018 / “Amber Ring” Best Performance
The Last One Turn Off The Lights, Vojtech Stepanek – The JK Theatre / Opole 2017
Festen, M.Rukov & T.Vinterberg – JK Opole Theatre / Opole 2016
The Cherry Orchard, Michael Chekhov – Theater im. St. Jaracza / Olsztyn 2016
The Coronation, Marek Modzelewski – Divadlo Komedie / Praque 2015
An hour of peace, Florian Zeller – Modern Theater / Szczecin 2015
The Misanthrope, Moliere – Theatre im. W. Horzycy / Torun 2014
The Inspector, Mikołaj Gogol – Theatre im.W.Bogusławskiego / Calisia 2013
Koronacja, Marek Modzelewski – Divadlo Komedie / Praga 2015
The Idiot, Fiodor Dostojewski – Stage Sarego 7 of Theatre Bagatela / Krakow 2013
Gossip, Francis Veber – Theatre im. W. Bogusławskiego / Calisia 2012
Inscription, Gerard Sibleyras – Theatre im. W. Bogusławskiego / Calisia 2011
Merylin / Slingshot, Nikolay Kolada – The Theatre Academy / Warsaw 2011
Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Sara Ruhl – Modern Theater / Szczecin 2011
Murder, Hanoch Levin – Theater Nowy / Łódź 2011
Transfer, Maksym Kuroczkin – Theater Nowy / Łódź 2010
Beautiful Helena, Jacque Offenbach – Opera na Zamku / Szczecin 2009
Elling, Axel Hellstenius – Theater im. St. Jaracza / Olsztyn 2009
Pocket orchestra, G. Garden & C. McLeod – Comedy Theater / Warsaw 2009 / Grand Prix – Korczak Festival 2010
Gossip, Francis Veber – Theater Powszechny / Łódź 2008 / Golden Mask – Best Director
Inscription, Gerard Sibleyras – Theater im.St. Jaracza / Olsztyn 2007
Flow, authorial – Stary Browar / Poznań / Fabryka Trzciny 2006
Festen, M.Rukov & T.Vinterberg – Theater im.W.Horzycy / Toruń 2005
Closer, Patric Marber – Modern Theater / Szczecin 2005
Testosteron, Andrzej Saramonowicz -Theater Powszechny / Łódź 2004
Bluebeard-hope for women, Dea Loher – Theater im.W. Bogusławskiego / Kalisz 2004
Merylin Murlo, Nikolay Kolada – Theater im.W. Horzycy / Toruń 2004
Gagarin Way, Gregory Burke – Polish Theater / Bielsko-Biała 2003
Art, Jasmina Reza – Theater im.W.Bogusławskiego / Kalisz 2002
Solitaire, Robert Anderson – The Modern Theater / Warsaw 2001
Suddenly, authorial – Theater Studio / Warszawa 2000